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Forbes has named UCI one of the best employers for diversity in the nation. The magazine rated the campus No. 7 overall – the second-highest ranking for both a California employer and an educational institute.
UCI is Orange County’s second-largest employer, with 16,400 faculty and staff working on campus and at the UCI Medical Center and affiliate clinics. Its diversity model infuses richness and nurtures strength in the workplace, focusing on respect for all human differences, including age, culture, ethnicity, race, country of origin, linguistics, gender, socioeconomic status, education, religion, sexual orientation and ability/disability.
From active diversity talent acquisition outreach to employee development emphasizing...

The Greater Irvine Chamber has partnered with Leaders Circle member Brandman University to welcome community and business leaders to the university’s open house on Thursday, Jan. 31, 5 – 8 p.m.
The open house will feature an expert panel discussion on “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” moderated by Jalin Johnson, Ed.D., Brandman University’s 2017 Faculty Member of Year. A Q&A session with the expert panelists will follow. Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore Brandman University educational programs and scholarships.
The Brandman University Irvine Campus is located at 16355 Laguna Canyon Road, Irvine.
Attendees are encouraged to RSVP here.

The City of Irvine has been awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). The award represents the highest form of recognition in government budgeting for a municipal entity.
“The City of Irvine being recognized with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, is a testament of the deliberate strategy set forth by the Irvine Master Plan more than half a century ago and the diligence of the Irvine city management team,” said Bryan Starr, president and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber. “The Chamber’s Board of Directors and professional staff congratulates the Irvine...

The Greater Irvine Chamber, in collaboration with Google, Irvine Valley College, Webster University, and the business community, will host students from Orange County colleges and universities for the Feb. 2 Career Edge workshop, Practical Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, to be instructed by Dr. Brian Dozer, director of Webster University, Irvine Metro Campus.
“Critical thinking and problem solving are essential skills in the 21st century. Dr. Brian Dozer is just the right person to coach attendees in these vital areas of expertise,” Linda DiMario, executive vice president of the Greater Irvine Chamber said.
Courses are designed to inspire, inform, and empower students...

A Greater Irvine Chamber member since 2010, Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary has renewed as Bronze-level Leaders Circle sponsor.
Since 1914, Rose Hills has been a place to remember. Rose Hills is North America’s largest memorial park, with two full-service mortuaries and five planning centers that serve the world. The year 2019 marks the opening of Hua Yuan at Rose Hills. Hua Yuan ceremonial center provides intentionally designed product and services that meet cultural traditions. Rose Hills is proud to be a member of the Dignity Memorial® network of funeral, cremation, and cemetery service providers. With more than 1,800 network providers across...

Donald P. Wagner was sworn in for a second term as the City of Irvine’s Mayor, and newly elected Councilmembers Farrah N. Khan and Anthony Kuo were sworn in to office on Dec. 11 in front of a capacity audience during the City Council meeting at the recently renovated Council Chamber.
"The Greater Irvine Chamber is enthusiastic about our new city leadership. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the city as we work to enhance the economic vitality of Irvine," said Bryan Starr, president and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber.
Mayor Wagner was sworn in for a two-year term, while Councilmembers...

On Nov. 10 and Dec. 3, 2018, the students, instructors, and supporters of the Irvine CubeSat STEM Program celebrated the final milestones in the student’s journey to assemble, test and launch the Irvine01 and Irvine02 nanosatellites into orbit. The successful launches makes it the first high school program in the West Coast to launch operational, all high school student-built CubeSat’s into orbit.
The Irvine CubeSat STEM Program (ICSP) is a collaboration between Greater Irvine Chamber education partners Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF), Irvine Unified School District and Tustin Unified School District (TUSD) to train and inspire the next generation of STEM...

The Irvine City Council voted unanimously at its meeting on Nov. 27 to enhance long-term financial planning by transitioning from an annual budget cycle to a two-year budget cycle.
The two-year budget cycle, beginning fiscal year 2019-20, will be developed in the context of a comprehensive five-year financial plan. A two-year budget promotes transparency, brings increased accountability to government spending, greater stability, and allows for long-term strategic planning. The process provides for enhanced long-term planning and sets spending levels for a two-year period.
The creation of the City’s two-year budget will begin with the Finance Commission reviewing the initial baseline budget in...

Cox Automotive has renewed its partnership with the Greater Irvine Chamber as a Silver-level Leaders Circle sponsor.
With more than 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents, Cox Automotive strives to understand client needs by pairing its insights and research with business goals – delivering inspired results to bridge the gap between consumers, manufacturers, dealers and lenders at every stage of the automotive experience.
The organization focuses on continually improving its products to create faster vehicle transactions, enabling consumers to have a seamless online-to-offline experience.
Leaders Circle members of the Greater Irvine Chamber are among the most influential companies and organizations in Irvine...

This month, the Irvine City Council will consider a significant change to how Irvine prepares and approves its budget. The City’s first-ever two-year budget, developed in the context of a comprehensive five-year financial plan, will be before the City Council at its Nov. 27 meeting. A first review will be before the Finance Commission at its Nov. 5 meeting. The Commission also is expected to provide input to planned Community Budget Workshop locations scheduled for early in 2019. Click here for the Nov.5 Staff Report.
City Council approval of a two-year budget cycle would build on the recent Irvine Sunshine Ordinance, which...

A new regulation jointly published on Oct. 29, by Health and Human Services, Labor, and IRS, related to Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), is designed provide some relief to small businesses by allowing small employers to give their employees funds to pay for health care coverage selected by the employees.
During recent Small Business Administration (SBA) Regional Regulatory Reform Roundtables, many small entities expressed complaints about their inability to obtain reasonably priced health insurance for their employees. The new HRAs are an effort to provide relief to those business owners and their employees. HRAs were originally penalized under the Patient Protection and Affordable...

Coded in OC, a nonprofit initiative designed to highlight technology companies while growing and retaining a strong technical workforce in Orange County, has recently added four new members to its roster of tech companies: Parapxl, Bold Array, Arcules, and adQuadrant. These companies are featured on the Coded in OC website.
Joining the initiative along with community partners Greater Irvine Chamber and Irvine Valley College, is fellow Chamber member UCI Applied Innovation, which is supporting the project with resources ranging from physical space at The Cove and mindshare, to amplifying Coded in OC messaging to their constituency.
Two Greater Irvine Chamber members that are part of...

The regional accounting and advisory firm of White Nelson Diehl Evans LLP (WNDE), a member of the Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle, has announced that the firm has expanded their advisory practice to include cybersecurity consulting services through a strategic alliance with DarkHound Security (DHS).
Combining over 30 years of experience, the certified technical professionals and network security engineers from DHS will work alongside WNDE CPAs with AICPA cybersecurity certifications and IT audit experience, to help clients minimize cybersecurity risks and ensure compliance with IT audits. Together, they will offer a comprehensive set of cybersecurity assessment, implementation and monitoring services, including:
Assessing...

Hoag Orthopedic Institute has renewed its investment in the Greater Irvine Chamber as a silver-level sponsor.
“Hoag Orthopedic Institute is proud to renew our membership with Greater Irvine Chamber at the Leaders Circle level. As a member since our doors opened in 2010, it’s a privilege to continue connecting with our fellow Irvine organizations in support of the Irvine community,” Hoag Orthopedic Institute Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Mitzner said.
Hoag Orthopedic Institute (HOI) was developed through a unique partnership between Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and a select group of Orange County-based orthopedic physicians with many years of experience providing excellent care to orthopedic patients....

The Irvine City Council will consider approval of an Irvine Sunshine Ordinance that would expand review time of nearly all upcoming agenda items to 12 days – which is four times longer than California law requires. The proposed ordinance will be heard during the City Council meeting beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23. An ordinance requires a second reading, which would be Nov. 13.
“The 12-day window allows every community member the time they need to review agenda items thoroughly,” said City Manager John Russo. California’s open meeting law, the Brown Act, requires an agenda be posted a mere 72...

The City of Irvine has been awarded for its “exemplary Information Technology (IT) practices” by MISAC, the Municipal Information Systems Association of California. MISAC announced the Technology Achievement awards for 2018 this month.
Public agencies are recognized for best practices in IT standards and the use of technology for: budget, strategic planning, operations, customer satisfaction, Internet solutions, and security.
“My colleagues on the City Council and I take great pride in Irvine being a leader of innovation in California,” said Mayor Donald P. Wagner.
“Technology advancement enables us to provide exceptional services to the public. I am proud of our staff’s diligence in...

The Greater Irvine Chamber is partnering with software development and design company Vincit California as they launch Coded in OC, a website that highlights Orange County software development companies, which are helping to fuel the local economy.
The recently launched site promotes several prominent companies that produce their software in Orange County. Companies that register are vetted before receiving a Coded in OC insignia to place on their website showing their commitment to growing the local economy and workforce.
“The importance of Coded in OC is to grow the local economy by encouraging companies to invest in local talent, grow and retain the local workforce,...

Emile Haddad of Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle member FivePoint is experimenting with something that at first glance appears antithetical to the Southern California lifestyle—a home without a garage. And a homeowner who’s not a car owner.
“These will be the first single-family homes with no garages,” Haddad said. “We all love our cars, but the minds of the next generation won’t love them as much as we do.”
It’s a proof-of-concept project that will entail 50 to 60 homes. A timeframe for opening hasn't been set, he said. A builder hasn't been chosen for the homes, which are being designed by...

For Orange County and the entire Southern California region, 2017 was a pivotal year for innovation. The region has some of the nation’s best engineering talent, top-ranked universities, and a community of investors and innovators. With that in mind, Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle member OCTANe has been creating collaborative and strategic relationships with many organizations and creating the SoCal of tomorrow. The OCTANe 2017 Impact Report gives an overview of the region’s tech growth engine for the year as well as a forecast through 2025.
“The year 2018 will begin a new growth period for OCTANe as we execute...